Friday, October 28, 2011

End of season in the garden

It is almost November, pretty much the end of the garden season in my part of Oregon, but there are still a few “lovelies” remaining……such as our Beautyberry!

She’s a pretty flashy lady with her bright, iridescent purple berries that the birds, especially the robins, love.

It is a fairly large shrub, that can be pruned back, other than an occasional trim this is a very easy to care for plant with the added bonus of white flowers in the spring.

I love to dry these Hydrangea blossoms but I have four plants….makes for a lot of dried flowers. I’ll figure out something to do with the extras.

It amazing the different shades and colors that can be on the same Hydrangea plant, isn’t it?

We had some frost the last couple of nights, so the tomatoes are officially over, but the figs are getting ripe and sweet…..now it’s race between the humans and the birds to see who gets the most.

The last rose of summer…..literally!

In my garden, this is a personal favorite..….hardy geranium “Roxanne”. It blooms all summer but the best flush of flowers is in the spring and again in the fall. Right now, it is glorious!

It’s all about color combinations for me! Every year I have favorite and not so favorite plant combos in my flower beds….here are a couple I really like this year. The yellow of the Wallflowers against the blue-violet of the Hydrangea are beautiful complimentary colors.

I really like the pink of the Hardy Fuchsia against the dusty pink of the Hydrangea with the reddish stems of Barberry and the touch of Blue Oat Grass brings out the blue-ish cast in the Barberry leaves. Yummmmmmmmm!

All too soon these flowers will be gone and the rains will be here but for now….ENJOY!

I, too love the color combinations. Particularly this past year I have enjoyed orange Impatients alongside purple Salvia!!! That was nice. I am having to replant as several of my floral plants have seen better days. I am most excited over the vegies I have planted though...Have a great upcoming week!Julie